Daily Worship

Re-Imagining Church

It was never going to end well

Consumed by hate, driven by the counsel of revenge, Captain Ahab pursued the White Whale not only to his own end, but the destruction of his ship and crew in Herman Melville's Moby Dick.

Almighty God,

Father, Son and Holy Spirit,

source of all wisdom,

we come before you.

Shine the light of your truth upon the seeds of destruction in our own lives.

As you forgive our sin so take from us the desire for revenge, the thoughtless pursuit of any goal which will only lead to disaster.

Grow in us your wisdom, a love for your counsel, a commitment to live in your way.

In this may our lives be a blessing to many.

We pray for your glory, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

by Gordon Kennedy

Proverbs 1: 20–33

20 Wisdom cries out in the street;
in the squares she raises her voice.
21 At the busiest corner she cries out;
at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
22 ‘How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
and fools hate knowledge?
23 Give heed to my reproof;
I will pour out my thoughts to you;
I will make my words known to you.
24 Because I have called and you refused,
have stretched out my hand and no one heeded,
25 and because you have ignored all my counsel
and would have none of my reproof,
26 I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when panic strikes you,
27 when panic strikes you like a storm,
and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
when distress and anguish come upon you.
28 Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
they will seek me diligently, but will not find me.
29 Because they hated knowledge
and did not choose the fear of the Lord,
30 would have none of my counsel,
and despised all my reproof,
31 therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way
and be sated with their own devices.
32 For waywardness kills the simple,
and the complacency of fools destroys them;
33 but those who listen to me will be secure
and will live at ease, without dread of disaster.’